Friday, 12 April 2013

Thief jailed for seven years after stealing Obama's teleprompter and White House computers he sold to pawn shops .

Eric Brown told authorities: 'Man, I got that truck. I don't do no playing

A serial criminal who stole a truck containing President Obama's teleprompter, audio equipment and several White House laptops before selling them to pawn shops has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

Eric Brown, 49, of Richmond, Virginia apologized on Thursday before accepting a longer sentence from a judge to avoid being prosecuted for 14 similar truck thefts.

He still faces charges in Stafford County, which didn't take part in the agreement.

Serial thief: Eric Brown, 49, of Richmond, Virginia has been sentenced to seven years in a federal prison after making off with a truck owned by the White House

In 2011 Brown was caught on video surveillance driving off with the unmarked truck outside a suburban Richmond hotel parking lot, ahead of an appearance by Obama several days later.

'Video surveillance from the hotel depicted a dark colored SUV driving into the hotel lot. Shortly

thereafter, the truck containing the President’s equipment was driven off of the lot. Immediately thereafter, a dark colored SUV followed the truck containing the President’s equipment off of the hotel lot,' according to the U.S. department of justice.

Along with audio equipment, the truck contained a laptop computer, presidential seals and a podium.

Some of the items were later recovered at Maryland pawn shops with the audio equipment found in Brown’s home.

The truck was found the next day empty on the side of the road across town.

Surprise: President Obama had his teleprompter, podium and various audio equipment and computers stolen days before he spoke at Fire Station 9 in North Chesterfield, Virginia in 2011, seen here

'Man, I got that truck. I don't do no playing,' told authorities when confronted about the theft, NBC reports.

'Man, I got that truck. I don't do no playing'

- Brown to authorities

He said he didn't realize at the time that the truck belonged to the White House. He explained that he targeted Ford F-350s and Ford F-450s because they were easier to steal.

'If I had to sum up Mr Brown's character, it would be that he's a thief,' Judge John A Gibney said while arguing his attorney's claim of seven years being a long time for his sentence.

Brown has had three-dozen convictions in the last three decades, according to records. Those include burglary, drug possession, identity fraud and grand theft auto.